Animal-trap.



1.' E. RUBY.

ANIMAL TRAP.

l l APPLICATION FILED IAN.5. |915. y 1,159,100, Patented Nov. 2,-1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Byl

' WITNESSES J-vE. RUBY.

ANIMAL TRAP. APPLICATION Ij'lLED. IMLS. |915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/o mm] (lling I: lll/1111711 y0/III, I

A TTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANoGRAr-H co..w^sH1NG'roN. D. c.

' Patented Nov. 2,- 1915.

l :JOHN E. RUBY, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA;

Antiviren-TRAP.

To all whom z'zf may concern Be it known that I, JOHN E. RUBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county :of Marion and State of Indiana, "have invented Vcertainnew and useful improvements 'in Animal,-Trap's, of whichthe following is 'a specification.'

This inventien 'relates yto Van 'improvement in animal traps, and lmore particularly to the type disclosed in `my prior Patent No.

v 1,116,127, issued Nveniber', 19,14. `1

' One of the principal object's'of theinvention is to provide an improved and particularly sensitive type of trigger mechanism of simple structure and arrangement, 'in traps of the type set out.

' Another eb'j'eetof the invetin'ie to pre.v

vide a trap in which the trigger acts directly upon the dog 'or detent in releasing the trap jaw, at the same time being of such nature that automatic resetting of the trigger vmay be obtained by I'simply moving'the into its original or set position. g

A further object of Athe invention `is tof-provide an imprved trap in Which`the parts are materially simplified, and in which by arranging the trigger to act directly lupon.

the detent or dog, :the i'isua'l releasing pin 'in traps of this type will be entirely'eliminated, the trigger mechanism at Lthe v Same time being increased in sensitiveness.

lNith these and 'ether objects iin view which will become 'apparent as the descrip tion proceeds, the invention resides in 'the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter inorefully described and claimed, and illustrated 'in the acc'onipaying drawing, in which like characters 'of reference i'ndi'ca'te like parts thriighout the several iigures, of which- Figure 1 represents a 'view 1n perspective of a trap constructed according to my -inve'ntion.V Fig. 2 represents a view in r'ver- 4,tical longitudinal section taken Centrally of the trap. Fig. 3 represents a'view in hori#v zontal'section taken 'onthe plane indicated by the line 3-"3 of 2. Fig. '4 represents a view in elevation of thes'tandard or vertical plate, looking toward'the bottoni-1 thereof. Figy represents V'a view in per# spective of a trap presenting a modified arrangement of parts. Fig. 6 represents a View in 'vertical 'section taken lpngtudinauy and centrally of the 'trap disclosed '5,

i Specii'ication of Letters Patent. Patented NGV, 2, 1915,- Application led January 5, 1915. Serial No. l5h81. l i

and Fig. represents a view in vertical section taken transversely on the .plane indicated by the line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to the first four figures 'of the drawings, it will be seen that in carrying lout myvinvention I provide aI base block or board 5 of rectangular or oppositely bent ear is stamped, theplate is.A

connected through `suitable fastening elements 10 to theblock. Longitudinal taper"- ing flanges 11 extending rearwardly from plate 6, thatis indirect'ion opposite that in 'ivliich'the'lowerfedge Sextends, bl' at' their lower ends upon block l5 for bracing said` plate.

lA housing forthe dog and the upper end of the trigger projects forwardly through slot 7. This housing is formed of a strip of suitable metal doubledupon itself as at' 12 to form the side walls 13 yof the housing.'

The latter :are disposedA inspaced and paral# lel relation to each other, and have their rear ends bent in opposite directions and at rightfangle's als vatlt so "as to lie against the rear face 'of plate 6 'on 4opposite l sides of slot 7. Fastening mea'ns'l', which pass through the plate and portions 14:,-serve to secure the h'u'si'ngin pbsitin j o A shaft 16 is supported hbri'zontally above the bleek and in advance of and in spaced at the ends of the section f8 `of said plate.

Upon ythis 'shaft isjournal'ed the aw -or bailV 18. It 'is substantially of a U-shape and maybe formed 'of a length kof sto'utwire bentinto the proper configuration. AThe ends'of the ,jaw are looped upon shaft 16v '90 relation 'to the lower portion of platel 6, by'V means 'of a pair of upright lugs 17 formed near lug 17 forjournaling said jaw upon the shaft.` A coiled spring 19 having its cen trai portion bent outwardly to form a tongue 2O for" bearing against plate 6, is interposed upon shaft 16 between the terminals of the jaw,j and`has its ends,V 21 extending outl ward'ly and engaging upon the Y sides ofthe jaw l1n the manner ifidieatedf.v The normal.

tendency ofthe spring-"is to "'maintain tlle jaw thelpo'stirindifatd AiIi'ull lines Vin F bent outwardly at 2f; and pass through recesses at the lower ends of flanges 11, so as to provide afjournal for the setting lever. rlhe ends of the wire Vforming the loop are then bent forwardly and inwardly at 26 to underlie the side. portions of jaw 18. The

yarch or looped portion 23 lies in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane in which the .remainder of the setting lever lies. sothat when the jaw isin the position indicated in Fig. 2 the arched portion of the lever is elevated. By depressing the arch of the lever the j aw will be raised into. the setposition indicated in Fig. 1. Within the housing between the walls 13 thereof is rotatablviournaled a `dog or detent 27. The dog is in the ferm of a star or spur wheel, and is so disposed that its uppermost tooth or spur will proiect into a recess 28 yprovided in the housing. This recess lies in the ath of movement of i'aw 18, and saidiaw moves into the recess when in set position. The arrangement is such therefore that one of the spurs of the dog` lies in the path of movement of the jaw. The doe; is disposed so that its spurs will project into recess 28 at a point removed somewhat frointhe. rear end -o'f the recess.

The trigger may be stamped from a strip of `metal to provide an upper portion 29 from which a reduced tapering shank 30 depends. T he shank projects downwardly and preferably terminates in a bait ring or other bait receiving element 31. disposed a short distance above base block 5. The trigger` is pivoted near its forward edge to the housing as at 32, in such manner that the upper portion 29 is disposed within the housing. The portion of the trigger above pivot point 32 is somewhat heavier than the portion of the tri .freer below the pivot point. ,aind'J-iY reason of the trigger being pivoted near its forward edge. the normal tendency full lines in F ig. 2.

of the upper portion is to swing and maintain the tri garer in the position indicated in Bv reason of the engagement of the forward edge of the trigger with the portion 12 of the housing, the tilting movement of the trigger due to the weight of its upper portion is limited so as to maintain said trigger in the position specified. This mav'be designated as the set position of the trigger.

The upper portion 2 9 is provided with a enough to allow free movement of the dog relatively to the trigger when the latter is in Fig. 2.

A stop 34 having a rounded upper edge is formed on the trigger at the forward portion ofthe latter, and occupies a position substantially in vertical alinement with pivot pin 32 of said trigger'.

When the trigger is in set position, the stop 34 lies in the path Yofrotation of the spurs formed on the` dog, so as to maintain thedog against movement in a clockwise direction according tol Fig. 2. l1`he edge of stop 34C toward the dog, is curved to provide a cam surfacel at 35, by contact of the spurs with which, the trigger will be moved when the spur wheel is turned in a counteiclockwise direction, to allow the passage of the spurs beyond the stop. 1t will thus he seen that when the jaw is moved into setting position itwill engage one of the spurs of the wheel as it enters slot 28, and will turn the wheel until the neXt subsequent spur is moved to the right and upwardly beyond stop 34, whereupon the trigger will settle back into the set position indicated in Fig. 2 to prevent'clockwise movement of the spur wheel. Upon releasing the jaw from the pressure required to vmove it into set position said jaw-will be in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. '2, that is behind the uppermost spur and will be pressing against said spur through the tension of the spring 19. 1t ris thus evident that in order to set the trap it is simply necessary to move the jaw into setting position, at which time the spur wheel and trigger vwill co-act in such manner that the former will be engaged by the latter to maintain the jaw in set position;A Previously to having set the jaw, the bait ring or other bait receiving element provided,

`in tripped position indicated in dotted lines will of course have been supplied with a suitable bait. Upon the animals attempting to remove the bait, the pressure upon the lower end of the trigger will swing thesame into the tripping position indicated in .dotted lines in Fig. 2, thus swinging stop 34e out of the path of the spur wheel, and hence the latter will be rotated through the pressure exerted thereon by the jaw. and the latter will snap down into the full line position, thus killing the animal.. By reason. of the disposition of the -wei ght ofthe trigger the latter will automatically fall back from the tripped into the -set position. Then the trigger is in tripped position however, the upper portion thereof at the back of the recess thereof and at a point indicated at 36 projects into slot 28 at the rear thereof. It is apparent therefore that should the trigger become stuck in tripped position, ay movement of the jaw Jfull liner or set position, whereupon a short reverse 'movement of the jaw into engagement with the spur wheeler dog,'will force p the spur wheel into engagement with the stop so as to automatically set the jaw. i'

,y In the modified arrangement indicated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 vno variations instructure of the trigger, dog, housing, jaw and spring, Y

.is indulged in. The operation of theseparts is exactly similar to that already described.

The main difference arises in the fact that` the modified larrangement lprovides what might betermed a horizontaltrap while'the first arrangement is in the vnature of a vertical trap. However, in the modiiied arrangement the plate 6a which is secured upon block 5, is flat and is changed from the first form illustrated in so much that it is provided at its inner end with a pair of upstanding flanges ,37, in which the shaft 16 is carried in spaced relation to the plate. The springand jaw 19 and 18 respectively, are arranged upon the shaft in the same manner, and cooperate in the same manner as previously described. The trigger is arranged in a substantially horizontal plane, and the weight of the end 29 or" the trigger `tends to maintain the outer or bait receiving end lthereof in an upward posit-ion, so that the trigger by its weight is automatically maintained in setting position similarly in the manner in which the'trigger in Fig. 2 is maintained in set position.

To trip the trigger in the horizontal ar.-

v rangement, the outer or bait receivingl end Y thereof is pulled downwardly by the animal 1 construction of the dog and trigger,

the direct co-action of said dog and trigger,

in attempting to extract the bait thus allowing the jaw to snap back from the set position indicated in Fig. 5 to the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 6. The automatic resetting of the jaw by simply moving it back into setting position is maintained in the same manner as that described with regard to Fig. 2. In the modified arrange- `ment the retaining element l5EL corresponding to element l5 may be utilized in securing plate 6a to base 5.

A trap constructed according to my invention will be extremely simple and compact andk will be found to be extremely sensitive and positive in the operation of its trigger mechanism. My improved trap is simplified greatly in omitting the dog and the pin utilized in the trap forming the subject of the patent granted to meA and previously re-V ferred to. However, the advantages which I obtained bythe utilization of the above mentioned dog and pin are not lost, but .are attained in the improvement by the peculiar andl by in automatically setting the trap by simply moving-the jawinto setting position as described.Y y p v Although I have described the preferred embodimentof my invention, I may desire to make such changes in thel construction,

combination and arrangement `of parts there-p of as do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope ofthe `appended claims. f

I claim:- 'Y

l. .AL trap including a base block, aplate 4 rigidly disposed thereupon'and provided at one end 'with a longitudinally lextending slot,

a vhousing `projecting through the slc-t and provided with means whereby the plate and housing vmay be secured relatively A'to each other, a movable Jaw associated with the plate, anda trigger mechanismpartially maintained within the housing and adapted to cooperate with the jaw, substantially as described. I f Y `2. A trap including a plate, a housing associated withtheplate and having a recess provided therein, va -spring actuated piw being pivoted within the housing at a point adjacent the spur wheel, astop formed on the trigger and adapted when the trigger is in set position to engage the spur `wheel for preventing rotation of the spur wheelin one direction, said trigger provided adjacent the stop with a cani surface adapted to be engaged bythe spur wheel when rotated in arr. i

opposite direction, for momentarilyinoving the triGOer o-ut of setposition to allowvthe passage of the spurs beyond said stop, said flaw when moved into the recess in attaining set position adapted to engage said spur Wheel for rotating the same in said opposite direction, and 'adapted when in set position to engage one of the spurs of said wheel in order to he maintained in said position, substantially as described.

3. A trap including a plate, a housing carried thereby and having a recess, a spring actuated jaw movable into the recess in attaining set position, a detent having spurs rotatably journaled within the housing in such position that its spurs will successively project within the recess as the det-ent is rotated, a trigger partially housed within the recess and ournaled at a point relatively to the detent, said trigger being heavierat one end than at the opposite end whereby to .automatically be maintained in set position, a stop formed on the trigger and adapted when the trigger is in set` position to if.

prevent rotation of the detent in one direction, said detent adapted When rotated in the opposite direction to momentarily move said trigger out of set position to allow passage of the' spurs beyond said stop, said jaw adapted to engage the detent for partially rotating the same in said opposite direction when moved into said. recess for bringing one of the spurs into the return path of the jaw.

4E. In an animal trap, a pivotedv spur Wheel, a pivoted trigger provided with a stop adapted to limit the movement of .the spur Wheel in one directiom said trigger having its Weight so disposed as to maintain the trigger automatically in set position, a spring actuated jaw movable into engagement with said spur Wheel for partially rotating the latter in the opposite direction as the jaw attains set position, to move a spur into the return path of the jaw, said spur .vheel when rotated in said opposite direction adapted to momentarily move the trigger out of set position to allow passage of the spurs beyond said stop.

5. ln an animal trap, a housing having a recess therein, a jaw movable into the recess in attaining set position, a pivoted trigger Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each,

partially disposed Within the housing and having a portion movable into the recess when the trigger is in tripped position, a rotatable dog pivoted relatively to the trigger and adapted to coact therewith in automatically restraining the jaw when moved into set position, said jaw adapted to-engage the portion of the trigger projecting into the recess for moving said trigger into set posi.- tion should the trigger become stuck in its tripped position.

6. in an animal trap, a rotatable dog having spurs, a rigid trigger pivoted adjacent the dog and normally maintained in set position and movable automatically into set position from tripped position7 a spring actuated jaw adapted to engage said dcg for partially rotating the same in attaining set position, to move a spur into the path ot' the jaw, and means carried bythe trigger for restraining the dog against rotation under tension of the jaw When the latter is in set position.

JOHN E. RUBY.

Witnesses: v

Russi l-l. HARTMAN, PATRICK J. CAHALANE.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

